Vehicle occupant protection systems that have an actuatable protection device are well known in the art. One particular type of actuatable protection system includes an inflatable protection module. An inflatable protection device of the module is commonly referred to as an air bag, and is mounted to inflate within an occupant compartment of a vehicle. The inflatable protection module has a source of inflation fluid and an electrically actuatable igniter, referred to as a squib.
The occupant protection system further includes a collision/crash sensor for sensing the occurrence of a vehicle crash condition and for providing an electrical signal indicative of the crash condition. When the sensor indicates that the vehicle is in a crash condition requiring inflation of the air bag to help protect a vehicle occupant (i.e., a deployment crash condition), an electrical signal is provided to the squib for the purpose of igniting the squib. The squib, when ignited, activates the source of inflation fluid (e.g., ignition of a combustible, gas or heat generating composition and/or opening of a container of pressurized gas). The source of inflation fluid is operatively coupled to the air bag, and, when activated, inflates the air bag.
Several known occupant protection systems include an occupant position sensor that senses the position of the occupant with respect to an associated inflatable protection module. The occupant position sensor for such a system is an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, a capacitive sensor, or a weight sensor. A controller, which is operatively connected to the sensor, controls the associated inflatable protection module in response to the sensed position of a vehicle occupant. Specifically, in response to the sensed occupant position, one or more deployment aspects of the air bag may be adjusted. The deployment aspects of the air bag include suppression of deployment of the air bag entirely, adjustment of timing of the air bag deployment, adjustment of pressure of the inflated air bag, and aiming of the air bag. The adjustable aspects that are directed to adjustment of a deploying air bag are referred to collectively as adjustments to the dynamic profile of the air bag. A protection system with adjustable aspects is commonly referred to as an "adaptive" protection system.
Focusing now on suppression of air bag deployment, in certain circumstances, even if the determined deployment crash condition occurs, it maybe desirable to refrain from actuating the occupant protection module of the protection system (i.e., refrain from inflating the air bag). Specifically, if the occupant associated with the occupant protection module is located in a position such that actuating the occupant protection module and deploying the air bag will not enhance protection of the occupant, it may be desirable to suppress actuation of the occupant protection module. An occupant who is very near the protection module is referred to as being within an occupant out-of-position zone. Deploying the air bag for an occupant who is within the occupant out-of-position zone may not enhance protection of the occupant. Ideally, the determination as to whether an occupant is within an occupant out-of-position zone is dependent upon some position of the occupant's thorax or torso, and head, with regard to the protection module. The determination may also be dependent upon the vehicle interior geometry, the crash condition, the type of restraint system, and/or the size of the occupant.